RED SOX: Unconventional lineup faces Tigers

Thursday

Young Sam Travis plays left, J.D. Martinez makes his first start in right field, and Blake Swihart is behind the plate.

BOSTON — Sam Travis stood in left field with the Green Monster looming behind him, a new experience for the 24-year-old Red Sox prospect in his 21st big league start.

Travis was part of a somewhat unconventional lineup rolled out by Boston manager Alex Cora for Thursday’s series finale against the Tigers, with his club gunning for a sweep and a five-game winning streak.

J.D. Martinez made his first Red Sox start in right field, Blake Swihart was behind the plate for the first time since 2016 and left-hander Jalen Beeks made his big league debut on the mound as the starting pitcher. Jackie Bradley Jr. received a night off, Christian Vazquez served as the designated hitter and catcher Sandy Leon looked on from the dugout, figuring to play in a pair of games against the White Sox this weekend.

“In the words of Tony La Russa, I’ll let you know after the game,” Cora said, invoking the Hall of Fame manager and current Boston special assistant to president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski. “That’s why they play different positions in spring training.”

Detroit left-hander Matthew Boyd faced six right-handed hitters for Boston, with the switch-hitting Swihart taking aim at that same wall in left field from the right side of the plate. Bradley and Brock Holt were both available off the bench, sitting at the outset to avoid going left-left with Boyd. Travis was cast in the role he’s worked to create since 2015, as Red Sox executives asked the career first baseman to play some corner outfield in the Arizona Fall League.

“Obviously, the more versatile you are, the more of a chance you have to crack the lineup,” Travis said. “Especially here — it’s a tough lineup to crack. You just go out there and have fun.”

Martinez was playing his 28th game in the outfield this season, but this was his first in the sweeping expanse that fronts the bullpens and bleachers at his home park. The corner in right presents its own challenges, as Braves prospect Ronald Acuna Jr. and countless others could attest. It’s certainly not a position Martinez would have occupied if Cora had any lingering concerns about the back spasms that struck the slugger in Sunday’s series finale at the Astros.

“It was either him in right field or Sam in right field,” Cora said. “J.D. has played right field here before. That’s why.”

Vazquez was coming off his first three-hit game in Wednesday’s 7-1 victory over Detroit, enjoying a bit of a breakout after an icy start. His tying home run in Saturday’s 5-4 win against Houston was his first of the year, and he added a second to deep left in the bottom of the seventh inning on Wednesday.

“It’s made me happy to help the team win,” Vazquez said. “We’re playing good ball.”

Swihart’s last start at catcher came two years ago on April 12, a 9-5 loss to the Orioles. He returned to the big leagues as a left fielder in May of that season and suffered an ankle injury in June that derailed most of his next two years. Despite his relative inexperience, Cora doesn’t expect Swihart to be treated with kid gloves behind the plate.

“We’re comfortable with Blake catching,” Cora said. “He knows the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition. Let’s attack that and see how far we can go.”

Cora’s primary concern is how his club performs offensively, and Boston has been sterling to date. The bottom three hitters in the Red Sox order have posted a combined .833 OPS over their last 18 games, a significant improvement from the .543 they compiled through the first 44. Andrew Benintendi has been on a rampage spelling Mookie Betts (abdominal strain) in the leadoff spot, reaching base safely in all 10 games and pounding out nine extra-base hits.

“At one point it seemed like the only runs we were scoring were when Mookie was going deep or J.D. was going deep with (Benintendi) and Mookie on base,” Cora said. “Now you feel comfortable every inning that we’re going to score some runs.”

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